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REV. BILLY SUNDAY PROPOSES SPECIAL SERVICE TO SAVE NEGRO SOULS; BELATED "JIM CROW" PROGRAM OPPOSED IN KNOXVILLE IN STRONG RESOLUTION Follower Of Christ Calls Negroes Who Know Good From Evil, And Only Want What They Are Entitled To As Human Beings And American Citizens "Radicals"
Rev. William A. Sunday styled as America's greatest evangelist and known throughout the country as "Billy" Sunday, a former Major League base ball star, in his attempt to drive the devil out of the citizens of Louisville, in his great revival campaign at Kosaid Temple, broke his silence so far as the colored citizens are concerned when his attention was called to an article in the News of last week which called its readers attention to the evangelist's seemingly unconcern about preaching the gospel to 'every creature".his general attitude toward Negroes under the caption "Billy Sunday doesn't appeal to colored people and colored people don't appeal to Billy Sunday."
Rev. Sunday denied to a daily paper reporter that he was not interested in colored people, and that as has been done in other places, a special meeting would be arranged for them at a later date. He also denied the charge of the paper, as being a member of the Klan, yet paid a fine [tribute?] to some of those who were members.
Some Negroes and many white people charge all Negroes who know right from wrong, good from evil, those who have the sense and courage to speak for the things that every human being is entitled to, as radicals, and so does the evangelist charge those Negroes and newspapers which oppose a "Jim Crow" program in the Christian religion; in preaching the Gospel and in carrying out the program as laid down by the Christ who Rev. "Billy" Sunday would exemplify and have others follows.
Comes Under Auspices of Citizens
Rev. Sunday came to Louisville to carry on a religious service, a campaign against sin, not under any one religious denomination, but he came through an invitation and under the auspices of the citizens of Louisville headed by the Mayor of the City who was elected by 27,000 Negro citizens, and while there are hundreds of Negroes in Louisville who do not care to hear the evangelist, it can hardly be understood why the Negro citizens were not considered in the program, and while those who attempted to enter the place used by the evangelist as God's House, were told that no provisions were made for them. This has been told by several persons, including a minister, and in the attempt to ascertain whether colored people could hear the preacher, a leading citizen was referred to the manager of the Temple, when he called the Mayor's office and then referred back to the Mayor, and everything that would help shift the blame and leave the seeker in a quandary.
The Negro's Place.
Up until the day the article was called to his notice, Rev. Sunday from the beginning of his sermons two weeks ago had made no reference to the Christian religion as it should be practiced as regards all people white and black. If it had ever occured to him that he could drive Satan out of Louisville without driving it out of the Negroes as well as white people, and has noticed that in his audience there was not to be seen a single black face out of the 60,000 which make the total Louisville population of 300,000, he had not let it be known.
But both, Rev Sunday and his choir leader. Homer Rodeheaver have a place for the Negroes when they hit Southern cities. The evangelist spoke to business men Tuesday of last week and he used the Negro and "darky" in two corking good jokes, that would make any set of Southern gentlemen almost crack their sides with laughter. Mr. Rodeheaver made a similar speech the day after and he too rode a Negro anecdote and got a bunch [of?] laughs. So the Negro has his [place?] in the program of soul saving [inaugurated?] by Rev. "Billy" Sunday.
Leaves It To Local Committee
Notwithstanding the fact that the evangelist's mission is to preach [into?} the minds and hearts of the [people?] right instead of wrong, and is not to be guided by custom or [tradition of?] giving to the world a sound [gospel?] the truest message of Christ, he leaves the program as to Negroes entirely into the hands of local committees.
Repudiated By Knoxville Negroes
Whether this program of a special service for Negroes here is to be accepted by the leaders and citizens generally, the Leader is not in position to say, but though it was accepted down in South Carolina, it was not accepted by Negro preachers and citizens of Knoxville, Tenn. The following resolutions ovposing the proposed "Jim Crow" program follows:
"Having heard in an unofficial manner of the Announced proposal of the Rev. William A. Sunday to preach to our people at the Tabernacle next Sunday morning, vpovided that the pastors of the Negro churches dispense with their regular services at that hour, the Inter-denominational Minsters' Alliance begs to submit the following resolutions:
"1--That we record our sincere appreciation of the interest manifested by some of the good white people of the city who have been instrumental in bringing about this belated action.
"2--That we express our regrets that we cannot look with favor upon the proposition, nor co-operate in the way and manner suggested in the announcement for the following reasons:
"1--That the evangelistic committee of the Billy Sunday campaign has up to the present ignored the ministers of our race in the city in all the arrangements for the campaign.
"2--That because of the best attitude of the said committee and the announcement in the press that no arrangements have been made for our people, we had not reason to expect that we would be given an opportunity such as now presents itself to us.
"3--That to accept this delayed invitation would greatly disarrange our program of church activities.
"4--That among the majority of our people there is a growing belief ,founded on an undenied report, that Mr. Sunday is identified with an institution that is not friendly to the race, or, at least, an institution that we have been forced by past experience to look upon with suspicion, if not anxiety and fear.
"5--The Christian religion is univer sal in its appeal to all classes of men. The Sunday campaign excluded the Negro race from its plans and blessings of the meeting. In view of that fact we cannot see in this arrangement anything of the spirit of Christ."
Supt. Colvin Ousts Russell
F. M. WOOD NAMED AS SUCCESSOR
Moves Head of State Normal On Eve Of Entering Gubernatorial Race Negro Member Of State Central Committee Speaks The ousting of Prof. G. P. Russell as president of the Kentucky Normal Industrial Institute of Frankfort by Supt. Colvin and the Board of Managers of that institution last Mon day evening, spread over the state like wildfire.
The decision came on the eve of Mr. Colvin's own decision to place his hat in the ring as a candidate for the nomination of Governor of Kentucky on the Republican ticket, but it had been expected since the election of Mr. Colvin to the State Superintendency of education more than three years ago.
A Leader reporter has been informed that the ousting of Mr. Russell as head of the state institution was the one thing which carried Prof. H. C. Russell of Louisville into the office as president of the K. N E. A. an office held by him for six years, and that it was an insistent demand of representatives of that body, a demand which Superintendent Colvin pledged himself to meet upon his election but failed to do until [within?] [illegible] months of another gubernational election, with himself as a prominent candidate for the office of Chief Magistrate of the State. It is reported that one leading educator in the persistent effort to have Supt Colvon to keep his promise told him that the [failure?] to do so would meet him in another political election.
F. M. Wood Named as Successor
Prof. F. M. Wood of Paris, Ky., who has been prominent in educational affairs of the State, for many years teacher, principal, president of the K. N. E. A., and at present Supervisor of Colored Schools of Kentucky, has been elected as president of the State Normal as successor of Prof. G. P. Russell who for more than 12 years rendered a faithful and successful service as president.
Colvin's Candidacy Outcome of State Central Committee Meeting At the meeting of the Republican State Central Committee last Saturday afternoon to consider the time and place for naming the Republican candidates for Governor and the State offices to be filled at the November election, a split between party leaders was in evidence.
Forces led by National Committeeman Chesley H. Searcy favoring August 14 and those led by Secretary of State, Chas. I. Dawson favoring June 23rd. The latter appealed to the majority of the members of the committee who are for Mr. Dawson as candidate for Governor on the Republican ticket.
Mr. Searcy had hoped to oppose Mr. Dawson who has the support of Governor Morrow, Senator Ernst, and Morris Galvin, Republican leader with Mayor Quinn, but the Mayor finally decided to decline the wishes of his friends, making Mr. Colvin the logical Searcy faction candidate. Several Negro leaders in educational circles claim however, that Mr. Colvin has had the governorship bee in his head for more than two years.
Searcy and Chilton
Notwithstanding the fact that there are those who doubt the reality of a real split between Messrs. Chesley Searcy and Matt Chilton for many years partners in the political leadership of Jefferson County and all that goes with it, and that is all a political game, it is the consensus of opinion that Mr. Chilton is really on the other side for Mr. Dawson for Governor and that Mr. Searcy is for Mr. Colvin, and is preparing to fight to a bitter end (Continued on page 8)
BELATED "JIM CROW" PROGRAM OPPOSED IN KNOXVILLE IN STRONG
First Standard Bank
Chicago Dancers
Jefferson Park
And His
PROF. EOW. B. WATTS IN HIS
2nd Annual DERBY BALL And Contest
ODD
NAMED AS
SUCCESSOR
Moves Head of State Normal
On Eve Of Entering Gubernatorial Race
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